If it’s a small, discreet subwooofer you’re looking for, then the REL will suit all your needs – but remember that rivals can go much deeper

For

Nicely finished

dynamic

plenty of input options

Against

Size limits how deep it can go

Reviewed on 27th April 2012

The REL T-Zero, the baby of the company's subwoofer range, measures way less than a cubic foot and weighs just 6.8kg, but packs a 16.5cm down-firing long-throw driver powered by a 100W class D amp – the first time such and amp has been used in a REL sub.

The company says it's designed for small rooms, near-field listening or for reinforcing micro-speakers, used under a desk or reinforcing a small system. To that end it uses a sealed cabinet for tight bass and the same stepped volume control and high-quality crossover electronics found in bigger REL models.

And it's flexible, too: it has line-level inputs, high-level speaker connections on a Neutrik SpeakOn socket, and a dedicated LFE/0.1 input, plus separate level controls for the line and LFE inputs, so you could set one for music listening and the other for movie action.

For its size, there’s quite a hefty sound coming through – and it goes very loud very easily.

At lower volumes, the bass is controlled, has good rhythm, and is decently defined, but when you turn it up to neighbour-baiting volumes, it starts to go a bit woolly, losing definition and edge.

For those who want a tiny sub, the T-Zero will be an attractive option. – but bear in mind that it doesn’t go as deep as you might want.